ELSAH, IL – The Principia College Baseball team honored two seniors and their families on Saturday between the games against Mississippi University of Women. Each year, the Panthers recognize senior and present a small token of appreciation for the dedication and commitment they've made to the program.
The first senior honored was Gavin Brustman. He was accompanied by his younger brother, Merit. Gavin came to Principia from Springfield, Virginia and has played three seasons with the Panthers. He has been used as an infielder, outfielder, and pitcher. During his sophomore year, he had several career firsts as he picked up his first career strike out on April 2nd vs Fontbonne and his first career hit on March 25th vs Westminster College. Each year, he has made huge improvements on the mound as he moved from picking up a few mop up innings to the team's fourth most appearances this season. Gavin has also made huge strides commanding the zone and in his confidence on the mound. During his junior year, he became committed in the weight room and the difference shows. His ERA and batting average against have both dropped, while innings and appearances have increased. Gavin brings energy to the team and has become a real competitor on the mound. Thank you, Gavin, for your selfless contributions to this program!
The other senior celebrated this year was Ryan D'Amico. He was joined on the field by his mother and father, Deirdre and Mike. Ryan came to Principia from Norwalk, Connecticut and has been the starting backstop for the Panthers the last three seasons. During his sophomore year, he started every inning behind the plate. Ryan began to hit his stride offensively during his junior year as his batting average jumped 100 points from the season before, and he lead the team in nearly every offensive category. This season, he currently leads the Panthers once again, and he sits 6th all time in career home runs. Ryan has also made tremendous strides defensively. He has thrown out 10 base runners this year, which ranks him 7th on the Panthers single-season list and 4th in career runners caught stealing. In addition to his success on the diamond, Ryan has also excelled in the classroom earning a SLIAC Academic All-Conference award in 2023 and a spot on the in-season 4.0 club wall. Thank you, Ryan, for your countless contributions to this program!
"It feels like yesterday these guys were just coming into our program," said Coach Marston when asked about the seniors. "It has been fun to watch them grow over the course of four years and see the impact they've made in rebuilding our program. I'm so grateful for the commitment they made to our program and I know they will continue to make an impact on those around them as they move forward in their lives."
On the field, Principia fell to MUW 17-8 in game one and 19-2 in game two. Highlights for the Panthers: Braxton Ramsey stayed hot at the plate with two home runs in game one, while Kailis Mayo hit a homer of his own in game two.
Up Next: The Panthers travel to Wisconsin on Tuesday to face Maranatha Baptist University with a doubleheader starting at 2:30 PM. Principia swept the Sabercats during their three game series in Elsah in February, and the Panthers will be looking to get back in the win column again on Tuesday.
